Golden State Today

The Los Angeles City Council has voted to maintain its authority over ethics matters, a move that contradicts the recommendations of academics and democracy reform advocates. The council's decision effectively curtails the Ethics Commission's power to independently enforce the city's ethics laws.

The council opted for amendments that deny the Ethics Commission the autonomy to conduct its affairs without council supervision. This decision comes despite recent ethical violations by several council members and a former deputy mayor, who were found guilty or pleaded guilty to charges including bribery, lying to authorities, embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest. Three other council members were caught on tape making racist comments while discussing gerrymandering tactics.

"The Los Angeles City Council had a chance to turn the tide of corruption at City Hall and begin a new era in which L.A. residents could trust their local elected officials," said Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause. "Instead they chose to uphold a broken, shameful status quo."

Council President Krekorian led the push for ethics reform in response to ongoing scandals involving the City Council over the past five years. These scandals included a 2022 redistricting scandal that drew national attention and renewed public demands for change.

This spurred months of hearings, recommendations, and advocacy from community organizations such as California Common Cause, residents, community leaders, and academics. All parties advocated for meaningful reforms based on statewide best practices, evidence-based research, leadership from the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, and lessons learned nationwide.

"This is a disheartening setback, but we will not allow this to be the end of the road for ethics reform in Los Angeles," added Stein. "California Common Cause is committed to helping realize an ethical city government that is deserving of Angelenos’ trust and participation."